Recap: Parker Kelly helps keep Avalanche point streak alive
Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Colorado keeps rolling with 4-2 victory over Calgary. Finishing off their brief road trip, the Colorado Avalanche visited the Calgary Flames in hopes of getting back on the winning track. The point streak survives another day as the Avalanche executed a tidy 4-2 road win in Calgary on the back of a two-goal performance from Parker Kelly.
The Game
After a slow start for both teams it was Ryan Lindgren who broke through first for the visitors. He took a shot from the point that went through traffic on a screened Dustin Wolf for his third goal of the season at 13:21. After 20 minutes of play the Avalanche held a 1-0 lead.
Despite there being a fair bit of back-and-forth action, the Flames couldn’t hit the net and were held to just three shots on goal past the midpoint of the game. The most exciting part of the second period was Cale Makar receiving a penalty shot but the puck rolled off his stick as he tried to make one too many moves.
It was an opportunity for the Flames to build momentum and they nearly capitalized on several Avalanche turnovers but it was Parker Kelly who got on the board next to extend the Avalanche lead. He pounced on a loose puck and beat Wolf clean at 15:23. After two periods Colorado held a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
Calgary maintained a little momentum to begin the third period with a Blake Coleman goal at 3:08 but Colorado answered back with another goal from Kelly at 5:55. Currently at seven goals on the year now it was that unexpected scoring the Avalanche needed as their power play went dry at 0/2 this evening.
With time winding down Jonathan Huberdeau got the Flames within one on the power play at 16:22 but it was OO little too late. Valeri Nichushkin hit the empty net with under two minutes to go despite numerous attempts to give Kelly the hat trick.
Takeaways
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood got the start in this one as apparently Mackenzie Blackwood was a bit under the weather. Josh Manson also left the bench for several minutes in the first period but was out of the game with an upper-body injury by the third period, so some wear and tear might be showing as the Avalanche enter the home stretch of the season.
Sam Malinski sat again in favor of Erik Johnson who saw his time on ice creep up to over 17 minutes with Manson unable to finish the game. It’s clear Jared Bednar is going to lean on Johnson with the trust he has in the Cup champion defenseman but as someone who had played just eight games in four months prior to coming back to Colorado, Johnson is either well-rested or going to be asked too much of.
Upcoming
A trip back home for a big match with the Dallas Stars at 1:30 p.m. MT on Sunday, March 16th. ...
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